


Favors

by eerian_sadow



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Canon Typical Violence, M/M, Mentions of Prostitution, On Screen Character Death, Pre-War, but not by starscream, early war, stigma against prostitution
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-11-21
Updated: 2008-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:01:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24675022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eerian_sadow/pseuds/eerian_sadow
Summary: After losing his partner, Starscream comes back to Iacon. He's lonely, and a stranger offers to ease his pain.
Relationships: implied Skywarp/Starscream
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	Favors

**Author's Note:**

> Notes June 2020: HOO BOY another missing fic from 2008! I'm beginning to think i need to go back and check my journal to find out where this stuff is. I'm pretty sure this was a fill for the old Springkink community give the format the original header was in, but I'm not 100% certain because that's not actually in the document. Also, it doesn't fill the spirit of that comm at all. XD 
> 
> Notes November 2008: I had entirely too much fun with this. Getting to meta about pre-war Cybertron and Skywarp’s past was a blast.
> 
> This exact fic was born from one of those sleep-deprived plot bunnies that I sometimes get at unholy o’clock in the morning. I was actually working on something a bit different and a lot more angsty. I’m much happier with this one. Hope that it lives up to the prompter’s expectations!
> 
> Prompt: Feb. 10 Transformers G1: Starscream/Skywarp: prostitution in the past. “Who were you before the war?”

He was alone.

Despite himself—and any statements made to the contrary—Starscream hated it. He had grown used to Skyfire’s near-constant presence and the sudden, enforced aloneness was uncomfortable and disquieting.

He stalked the streets of Iacon, trying to find something-- _anything_ \-- to help him forget about his lost partner.

“I can take your mind off it,” said an unfamiliar voice from a nearby door arch.

Starscream turned to see a black and purple mech—the same body type as him—leaning against the doorframe. The mech was looking right at him, and giving him a knowing look.

“What did you say?” The scientist asked.

“I can take your mind off it,” the other mech repeated. “I’m told I’m very good at that.”

Starscream almost laughed. A prostitute, no matter how high class, was not what he’d meant when he asked for a distraction. Primus obviously had a sense of humor.

“And just what would such a distraction cost me?”

“An energon cube and someplace safe to recharge for the night.”

Now Starscream did laugh. “You can’t be any good with rates like those.” 

“Times are getting hard,” the prostitute replied with a shrug. “I can either work for what mechs are willing to pay or I can go hungry like my co-workers. It isn’t hard to decide.”

Starscream thought for a moment longer before deciding he really didn’t want the mech’s company for the evening. “Go find yourself an academy instructor or something.” He turned to walk away.

“You won’t find anything that way,” the prostitute told him. “Everyone’s gone home for the night.”

“Maybe I’m looking for trouble.” The scientist didn’t walk away.

“You won’t find that in Iacon unless you make it. Besides, you look like you want companionship, not a fight.”

If all prostitutes were that perceptive, Starscream hoped he never met another. With a sigh, he gave in. He wasn’t ever going to be able to find the company he wanted again anyway.

“Fine. You have a designation?”

The prostitute gave him a grin. “This is where I’m supposed to ask who you want me to be, but something tells me that won’t do any good.”

Starscream shook his head. “You aren’t big enough to be him.”

“I see.” The black and purple mech paused for a moment, looking conflicted. Starscream wondered what the delay was; most mechs in the prostitution trade had street names that they gave away without a thought. Finally, the prostitute asked, “If I give you mine, do I get yours in return?”

The scientist shrugged. Not like _his_ name was any big deal. “Starscream.”

The prostitute hesitated a moment longer before replying, “Skywarp.”

Starscream was a bit surprised. A name like that said a great deal about what a mech could do. He briefly wondered why the prostitute wasn’t in the army—or the Seekers Corps.

It was wise not to ask about such things.

“Follow me,” Starscream said, transforming. “My room is back near the academy.”

Skywarp transformed as well and the two jets took off. It took Starscream a moment to realize that the black and purple jet was flying off his wing in perfect formation.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

50 Years Later

The Decepticons had been recruiting through Iacon again, but the candidates had been few and far between. None of the wealthy mechs and femmes in the lofty towers wanted anything to do with Megatron’s revolution. Morale in the ranks was falling disturbingly low at the lack of response.

Starscream had been dispatched to the recruitment camp in Iacon to remedy the problem. The newly promoted Air Commander would be taking over the operation in Iacon—over the recruitment commander’s dismantled frame if necessary. Perhaps the residents of Iacon would respond better to someone who had once been one of their own.

The Seeker stalked through the ranks of recruits and officers, searching for the recruitment commander. Queries to the mechs in camp hadn’t been very useful—the only information anyone had been able to give him was that Trace was out among the recruits on inspection.

Starscream somehow doubted he was inspecting so much as slacking.

After nearly a breem of looking, he finally found the delinquent mech and his second in command arguing with a mech with a vaguely familiar color scheme. Trace was adamantly—and loudly—refusing the mech admittance to the Decepticon ranks.

“If this is how you treat all the potential recruits,” he said acidly, “Then its no surprise that no one is brought in from Iacon.”

Trace whirled around at the Air Commander’s distinctive voice. “Commander Starscream! I wasn’t informed that you’d be visiting, sir!”

“Megatron is unhappy with your performance, Trace,” Starscream said. “I have been sent to rectify the problem.”

“No one in Iacon wants to join,” the recruitment commander said. “They would rather pretend nothing is wrong while they patron the arts and sip their high grade cocktails.”

“No one asked for your excuses, Trace. Megatron is having you removed from your position.” The Air Commander gave the recruitment commander a moment to register the implication of that statement before he raised his null ray.

“Please, Commander, give me another chance! I can do better!”

“Megatron doesn’t grant second chances.” The Seeker’s shot hit Trace precisely in the face. His processor blew out the back of his head and the body was dead before it hit the ground.

Starscream looked to Trace’s second in command. “And what exactly was the situation here?”

The second was visibly nervous. “Commander Trace was approached by this mech,” he indicated the third mech—who Starscream finally recognized as the prostitute he’d spent the night with when he came back to Cybertron after losing Skyfire. “He says he has military experience and wants to join. The Commander wouldn’t let him.”

“Why not? What makes him unworthy of joining Megatron’s revolution?”

Skywarp spoke up in his own defense. “He wouldn’t let me join because of my current profession.”

Starscream looked the other jet squarely in the optics. He had seen Skywarp’s precision flying first hand. Someone with those skills would be welcome in Megatron’s army.

“That’s nonsense,” the Air Commander replied. “The Decepticons don’t make those kinds of class distinctions. Commander Trace was out of line.”

The former second in command looked like he’d been slapped. “Sir!”

“You will report to Polyhex for reassignment. I am taking over the operation here in Iacon. My staff will be arriving shortly.” Starscream’s tone made it clear that he would hear no argument.

“What about me?” Skywarp asked softly.

“My trine is short a wingman,” Starscream replied. “Primus knows Thundercracker would like some company.”

Skywarp gave Starscream a searching look as Trace’s second in command slunk away. “Company?”

“Cards, drinking, gambling.” The Air Commander shrugged. “I don’t find his hobbies particularly amusing.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I’m just returning a favor. If you decide to sleep with the glitchy bastard, that’s up to you.” 

“A favor for a favor,” Skywarp replied. “That’s fair. I won’t make you regret it.”

**Author's Note:**

> This user encourages all feedback, including keysmashing, emoji, long (or not) comments & Kudos.
> 
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> 
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